Princes on 'NotW investigator list'

Princes William and Harry are among more than a hundred celebrities, politicians and public figures trailed by a private investigator acting for the News of the World, it has been claimed.

PUBLISHED: 00:43, Wed, Nov 9, 2011

A private investigator carried out surveillance of Prince William for the News of the World, it has [PA]

Princes William and Harry are among more than a hundred celebrities, politicians and public figures trailed by a private investigator acting for the News of the World, it has been claimed.

Derek Webb was paid to follow and record the movements of a host of targets singled out for surveillance by staff at the former Sunday tabloid over an eight-year period, he told the BBC.

The high-profile figures on his lists include former attorney general Lord Goldsmith, football manager Jose Mourinho, football pundit Gary Lineker, Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, and Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union.

His dossier has come to light a day after it emerged the red top hired Mr Webb to spy on two prominent lawyers who represented victims of phone hacking.

The investigator, a former policeman who ran a private firm called Silent Shadow, said he carried out extensive work for the News of the World between 2003 and 2008 "I never knew when I was going to be required," he told the BBC's Newsnight. "They phoned me up by the day or by the night. It could be anywhere in the country."

Mr Webb told the broadcaster that he was paid to track more than 90 targets while 153 people feature on a list of individuals allegedly selected for surveillance between 2003 and 2011. "Basically I would write down what they were wearing at the time, what car they were in, who they met, the location they met, the times - the times were very important - and I would keep that," he said.

Prince William was among those he followed.

In 2006, Mr Webb traced the young royal to Gloucestershire.

"Prince William came out with Kate, followed by the royal protection vehicle," he said. "I followed the royal protection vehicle knowing full well they were in front."

A News International spokesman said: "We are not able to make any comment around the specific work carried out by Derek Webb. As is well known, the News of the World was closed by News International during the summer."